Freed hostage meets Spurs players in first public appearance since return to UK
The freed British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari met Spurs players past and present in her first public appearance since her return to the UK.
Ms Damari, who visited the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, met the current midfielder James Maddison, ex-players Gary Mabbutt and Ledley King, and the former player and manager Ossie Ardiles.
She wore a yellow Spurs shirt, while holding a T-shirt bearing the names of her two best friends, Ziv and Gali Berman, 27 year-old twins who were kidnapped from their homes during the Oct 7 attacks and are still held hostage by Hamas.
She was also presented Ms Damari with a shirt signed by the club captain Son Heung-min that she was pictured holding during her visit, which coincided with Tottenham's Premier League game against Crystal Palace.
Ms Damari was released in January after being held captive by Hamas for more than 500 days following the Oct 7 attacks.
The 28-year-old was shot in the hand and abducted from the Kfar Aza kibbutz after gunmen stormed her home. She was taken along with 37 other residents.
Speaking on Sunday, she said: 'I want to give a special thanks to all the Jews in the diaspora, but especially to the UK Jewish community, who came out to support my mother and my family campaigning tirelessly to help secure my release.'
Since her return to the UK, she has continued to advocate for the safe return of her friends and urged the public not to forget those still waiting to come home.
She said that she hoped her visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would serve as a reminder than 59 hostages remain in Gaza.
During her captivity, some Spurs fans adopted the chant: 'She's one of our own, Emily Damari, bring Emily home.'
Hours after a ceasefire announcement in January, Arsenal and Spurs fans united in a call for her release.
Her mother, Mandy, previously thanked the rival fans on social media, saying: 'I know that you don't agree on very much, which makes it even more special that you have come together to say 'bring her home'.'
Witnesses said that Ms Damari, along with the Berman twins, were bundled into her car and driven to Gaza, where they were held captive in locations including a tunnel 65ft underground.
Ms Damari's golden cockapoo, Choocha, was killed moments before her abduction.
After her release, she described how a medic calling himself 'Dr Hamas' sewed together her nerves while operating on gunshot wounds to her hand after she was kidnapped .
She explained that she was put under anaesthetic in al-Shifa hospital in Gaza and awoke to find she had two fingers missing.
Hostages who were released in the November 2023 truce said that Ms Damari had shown 'bravery and courage' during her capture, singing 'it's a great morning' every day.
Speaking on a recent podcast, she reflected on her journey: 'Last Yom Ha'atzmaut, I was in Gaza. Today, I am with my family, friends and the people of Israel.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
17 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Thomas Frank 2/9 favourite to replace Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham manager - with Marco Silva and Oliver Glasner also potential candidates
Brentford boss Thomas Frank is the heavy favourite to replace Ange Postecolgou as Tottenham manager following the Australian's sacking on Friday. Postecoglou, who won the club's first trophy for 17 years in the Europa League just a matter of days ago, lasted exactly two years in charge before being let go. Speculation is already rife regarding who will replace the outgoing coach, with a number of current Premier League bosses on the shortlist, but Frank the current odds on favourite. The Brentford manager is currently 2/9 with Sky Bet to take the reins in north London in a move that would bring an end to his seven-year spell with the Bees. Elsewhere, Marco Silva is priced at 9/2 to be the next Spurs boss, while Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner is listed at 9/2. For those looking for longer odds, former Barcelona star and boss Xavi Hernandez is priced at 10/1, while Michael Carrick, who was sacked by Championship Middlesbrough this week, is 14/1. In terms of some more ambitious bets, the likes of Gareth Southgate can be picked up at 33/1, while Steven Gerrard is 50/1. Next Tottenham manager odds: Thomas Frank - 2/9 Marco Silva - 9/2 Oliver Glasner - 9/1 Xavi Hernandez - 10/1 Michael Carrick - 14/1
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
British junior, 16, reaches the French Open final for first time in 49 years after helping hand from Jack Draper
Hannah Klugman became the first British junior finalist at the French Open in almost 50 years - thanks, in part, to a lunch meeting with Jack Draper. The 16-year-old from Wimbledon beat Bulgaria's Rositsa Dencheva, her senior by two years, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 and will play in her first junior Grand Slam final on Saturday against Austrian Lilli Tagger. The last British junior to contest a singles final here was Michelle Tyler, who won the title in 1976. Klugman has long been marked for success, her name feted in British tennis circles since her pre-teen years. But last season was a struggle and her coach Ben Haran thought a chat with the British No1 might help. 'I struggled a bit,' said Klugman, the junior world No6, of her 2024 season, 'I was working so hard and I felt like I was getting better, but I wasn't seeing results. 'My coach knows Jack quite well so he set up a lunch for me. 'Jack opened my perspective that everyone is going through these troubles - you don't realize it, but they are. 'Taking a step back, taking your time and realizing it's OK. You're working hard and it will get there. 'His big thing is consistency: every day working hard with the right mentality and things will come, it's just a matter of time.' Things are coming now for Klugman, and it is a reward for some hard work learning to love the distinct challenges of clay court tennis. 'It's just a mentality thing. It's different. Every point is a grind, you've got to be ready for it and I think accepting that is the key. 'Me and my coach said let's do two months on clay, get my tennis better, my mentality better. 'I've improved massively by going on the clay. I think it's really helped me.' Klugman has long been marked for success, her name feted in British tennis circles for years Part of that clay court block was spent at Rafael Nadal's academy - where Klugman met the great man himself. She is one match away from joining the Spaniard as a Roland Garros champion. 'We had an absolutely tough match three weeks ago,' said Klugman of her opponent Tagger, who beat her in Terrassa, Catalonia. 'These moments don't happen a lot, so trying to enjoy it is a big part. 'My coach and physio are basically saying go out there and enjoy it, because you might never be in the spot again.'
The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
Unite union had ‘pervasive fraud environment', auditors say
One of Britain's biggest trade unions had a 'pervasive fraud environment', a leaked auditors' report has concluded. Global tax advisory firm BDO found there had been a culture at Unite that 'did not challenge the appropriateness of transactions' and failed to ensure appropriate financial reporting. It concluded 'dominant personalities and a weak control environment facilitated opportunities to commit fraud' at the union. The audit was ordered by general secretary Sharon Graham shortly after she entered her role in 2021 amid questions about accounting and spending on building a hotel and conference centre in Birmingham. Its findings were presented to the union's executive council on Friday. Unite said the probe uncovered a £53.8 million 'impairment' related to the difference between the original valuation of the Birmingham project used to calculate the 'book value' by the auditors at the time, and the real value. The BDO report also said there had been 'unusual relationships' between former senior staff and Unite's customers and suppliers, according to the BBC which obtained a copy of the 35-page document ahead of its publication. In response, Ms Graham, who has pledged to strengthen internal governance practices, said: 'On behalf of Unite's 1.2 million-plus members, I promised on my election that I would uncover the truth about historic alleged corruption related to the Birmingham hotel project. 'This process has quite frankly been an ugly one, where I have endured attacks and smears from those with much to lose, but they have not deterred me. 'The re-audit is in its final stages and as we move to completion, I will ensure steps are taken so that this can never happen again and we have already started the process of getting our money back. 'Over the last three years of my leadership, I have refocused our union on to the jobs, pay and conditions of our members and we have secured a union that is financially strong and able to fight for workers.'
